Palisade fencing

ABSTRACT

A palisade fence is described comprising support posts and rails extending between the posts, and pales mounted between the rails. The rails define V-shaped apertures for receiving the pales. The pales are additionally secured to the rails by bolts

PRIORITY STATEMENT

This application is a continuation-in-part of co-pending applicationSer. No. 10/910,157, filed on Aug. 2, 2004, which itself claims priorityfrom United Kingdom Application GB0321547.2 having a filing date of Sep.15, 2003, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to fencing, and in particular to palisadefencing.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Palisade fencing typically comprises a number of upright support postsfixed in concrete foundations and upper and lower rails which extendbetween the posts and provide mounting for a plurality of upright palessecured to the rails. The pales are usually of corrugated or angledsection and may have spiked or rounded upper ends, depending on thefence application. The pales are fixed by centrally located bolts to theL-section rails which are in turn secured to the H-section support postsusing fish plates.

The applicant's UK Patent GB 2256447 B describes an alternative fenceconfiguration in which the horizontal arm of each L-section rail is cutto define a number of apertures, each aperture adapted to receive theend of a pale. The pales are configured such that only a selected lengthof each pale end portion may pass through the respective aperture. Theearlier patent describes a number of means of achieving this, and in thecommercial embodiment of the invention dimples are formed on the centreline of each pale to ad as stops.

This arrangement allows a secure fence to be constructed without therequirement to bolt the pales to the cross rails and the applicant hassupplied fencing of this configuration for use in a wide variety ofsecurity applications.

Of course no fence configuration can repel a sustained and determinedattack and on occasion pales of fences made in accordance with GB2256447 B have been at least partially detached from one or both crossrails by deforming or cutting portions of the apertured arm of theL-shaped cross rail, thus enlarging the aperture to allow displacementor removal of the pale.

In conventional palisade fencing, unauthorised pale removal ordisplacement is typically achieved by cutting one or both of the boltswhich secure the pale to the vertical arms of each L-shaped cross rail.One method of cutting the bolts involves insertion of a chisel into thespace between the rear of an angle section pale and the front face ofthe cross rail.

It is among the objectives of embodiments of the present invention toprovide a palisade fence configuration which obviates or mitigates theseand other difficulties.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided apalisade fence comprising:

support posts;

rails for extending between the posts; and

pales for mounting between the rails, the rails defining apertures forreceiving the pales and the pales additionally being secured to therails by fasteners.

Fences in accordance with the invention offer the advantage over fencingas disclosed in GB 2256447 B that cutting or deforming an aperturedportion of a rail is not alone sufficient to allow displacement orremoval of a pale, as the pale will remain secured to the rail by thefastener. Furthermore, where the rail has an L-section, the rear face ofthe vertical portion of the rail and the front face of the pale throughwhich the fastener passes are preferably directly adjacent one another.Accordingly, there is little if any possibility of gaining access to thevery short portion of fastener extending between the rail and pale, thusprotecting the fastener from attack by a chisel or the like.

Reference will be made primarily herein to L-section rails having avertical arm and a horizontal arm, the horizontal arm being apertured toreceive the rail while the vertical arm receives the fastener. However,those of skill in the art will recognise that the arms of the rail couldof course be at angles other than 90°, and may be inclined to thehorizontal or vertical, may have a C, I or H-section, or a box section,or indeed may take a non-rectilinear form.

Preferably, the apertures are of substantially complementary shape tothe pales. In a preferred arrangement, the apertures are ofsubstantially complementary shape to end portions of the pales and theends of the pales extend through the apertures, the end portions of eachpale being provided with a projection spaced from an end of the palesuch that only a selected length of each end portion may pass throughthe associated aperture in the rail. In a preferred embodiment, theprojection on each pale end portion is provided by pressing a bead ordimple from the pale, although the projection may be formed by manydifferent means, such as those described in GB 2256447 B, or by locatinga welding bead on the pale. Where the projection is formed by a bead ordimple, the bead may be provided centrally of the pale. However, forincreased security one or more beads may alternatively or in addition beprovided spaced from the centre line of the pale, which beads may remaineffective in restraining the pale relative to the rail even when acentral part of the apertured portion of the rail is deformed in anattempt to remove a pale.

A palisade fence normally comprises an upper and a lower rail. Incertain embodiments of the invention a third rail may be provided,providing additional security.

At least in the United Kingdom, palisade fencing will generally complywith British Standard BS 1722: Part 12: 1990. Specification For SteelPalisade Fences. Fencing made in accordance with this standard istypically supplied in 2.75 m long panels, each panel comprising upperand lower rails and 17 pales. In embodiments of the invention a largernumber of pales may be provided, and up to 27 pales may be provided witha single panel. Increasing the number of pales in this manner has anumber of benefits. One is to decrease the level of visibility throughthe fence, and to make it more difficult to climb the fence.Furthermore, the decreased spacing between the pales makes it moredifficult to locate tools between the pales; it is known for car jacksto be located in the space between two pales, and the jack extended tocreate a gap through which objects or persons may pass. The decreasedspacing also makes it more difficult to access the rear of the fence toattack the rail or the fastener.

The fastener may take any appropriate form, and is preferably a bolt.Preferably, the fastener passes through the front portion of the rail,typically a substantially vertical portion of the rail, and through acentral portion of the pale. The bolt may be secured by a nut whichengages with a rear face of the pale. The nut will preferably be of thetype provided with a nut having an outer portion for engagement with atightening tool such as a spanner or wrench, and an inner portion of ashape which is not easily gripped by a conventional tool. The twoportions are frangibly connected such that when the nut is fullytightened and the operator continues to apply force to the outer portionof the nut, the outer portion will shear from the inner portion. Thepreferred pale has an angled or curved section and the nut is locatedcentrally of the pale such that the inner portion of the nut isrelatively inaccessible, and thus protected from attack.

Those of skill in the art will recognise that many of the featuresdescribed above have utility in fencing not necessarily made inaccordance with the first aspect of the invention, and may be providedin fences individually or in combination in accordance with furtheraspects of the invention.

In another aspect of the invention a palisade fence comprises pales,each pale having a face for location directly adjacent a face of asupport rail and fasteners for securing the pales to the rail andpassing through the faces.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other aspects of the present invention will now be described,by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, inwhich:

FIG. 1 is a front view of a section of palisade fence in accordance withone embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an end view of the fence of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view on line 3-3 of FIG. 1, shown somewhatenlarged;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view on line 4-4 of FIG. 3; and

FIG. 5 is a sectional view, corresponding to FIG. 3, of a section ofpalisade fence in accordance with a further embodiment of the presentinvention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

Reference is first made to FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawings, which showpart of a palisade fence 10 in accordance with one embodiment of thepresent invention. The fence 10 comprises a number of support posts 12(only one shown) which provide mounting for 2.75 m fence sections orpanels formed of upper and lower horizontal rails 14, 16 and spaced,upright angle section pales 18 which extend between the rails 14, 16.The posts 12 are set in concrete foundations 20 and have an H-section.The rails 14, 16 have an inverted L-section and are fixed to the posts12 by means of fish plates 22 which pass through slots in the posts 12,in a central portion of a fence one fish plate providing mounting fortwo rails, one on either side of the post.

In a conventional palisade fence the pales 18 are bolted to the front ofthe rails 14, 16, however in this embodiment of the invention the rails14, 16 themselves are adapted to seat and retain the pales 18, andfurthermore the pales 18 are bolted to the rails 14, 16, but using amore secure arrangement than a conventional fence. The pales 18 are ofan angled section, defining a shallow “V”. Additionally, the pales 18are slightly corrugated. Corresponding generally V-shaped apertures 28,30 are provided in each rail 14, 16. The ends of each pale 18 may thusbe passed through the apertures 28, 30 in the rails 14, 16, the paleends 24, 26 passing through the apertures 28, 30 until beads or dimples32, 34, pressed from the pales 18, engage the lower or upper surface ofthe horizontal arm 36, 38 of the respective rail 14, 16. In addition toa central rearwardly directed bead 32 a (see FIG. 4) on each pale 18,two rearwardly directed dimples 32 b, 32 c are also provided towards theedges of the pale. Thus, when the rails 14, 16 are fixed between a pairof posts 12, the pales 18 are fixed and retained relative to the rails14, 16.

The pales 18 are additionally secured to the rails 14, 16 by fastenersin the form of bolts 40 which pass through the vertical forward arms 42,44 of the rails 14, 16 and the central portions of the pales 18. Thebolts 40 are themselves secured by nuts 46 which are located in thecentre of the “V” of the pale 18. The nuts 46 are of the form having anouter portion for engagement with a tightening tool such as a spanner orwrench, and an inner portion of a shape which is not easily gripped by aconventional tool. The two portions are frangibly connected such thatwhen the nut is fully tightened and the operator continues to applyforce to the outer portion of the nut, the outer portion will shear fromthe inner portion. The remaining inner portion of the nut 46 is furthermore relatively inaccessible with the “V” of the pale 18, and cannotreadily be engaged and held by a tool. This contrasts with conventionalfencing, in which the nut will be located, relatively exposed on theplanar rear face of the vertical rail arms.

Furthermore, as the central portion of each pale 18 of this embodimentof the invention lies directly adjacent the rear face of the rail arms42, 44, it is not possible to insert a conventional cutting tool orchisel into the tight gap 50 between the pale 18 and the rail arms 42,44 to cut or shear the bolt 40. In addition, access to the gap 50 isonly available from below and from the rear of the fence 10.

From the above description it will be apparent that the fence 10 is moresecure than the fence described in GB 2256447 B due to the provision ofthe securing bolts 40. Further, the bolts 40 provide greater securitythan conventional bolted or riveted palisade fencing due to theinaccessibility of the securing nuts 46 and the relatively short andinaccessible section of bolt 40 which extends between the pales 18 andthe rails 14, 16.

In other embodiments of the invention only a single dimple 32, 34 may beprovided for engaging each rail, or another arrangement may be providedfor restraining the pale 18 relative to the rails 14, 16, such as thearrangements described in GB 2256447 B.

In alternative aspects of the invention the dimples 32, 34 may beomitted, and the pales 18 located axially relative to the rails 14, 16solely by bolts, rivets or the like. Welding or settable or curablematerials may also be utilised to fix the pales 18 in the apertures 28,30.

Reference is now made to FIG. 5 of the drawings, which illustrates asection of palisade fence 110 in accordance with a further embodiment ofthe present invention. This embodiment shares many features with theembodiments described above, however the pales 118 are secured to therails 114, 116 by countersunk bolts 140. In particular, the bolt heads141, which are circular and have a shallow rounded profile, are receivedin complementary recesses in the front face of the vertical forward arms142, 144 of the rails 114, 116 and the central portions of the pales118.

In one embodiment, the rail arms 142, 143, 144, 145 are 50 mm long and 6mm thick. The bolt-receiving holes are 10 mm in diameter, while the bolthead-receiving recess is 2 mm deep and has a diameter of 21 mm. Thebolts 140 are of mild steel.

The recessed bolt heads 141 are less vulnerable to attack by chisels andthe like, and each bolt shaft is protected from attack by means of finesaws and the like.

In other embodiments the bolt may be protected by other structures orarrangements, for example beads of metal may be provided on the railsaround the bolt holes, or a raised lip or ring may be provided tosurround the bolt head, and restrict access to the bolt.

1. A palisade fence comprising: support posts; rails for extendingbetween the posts; and pales for mounting between the rails, the railsdefining apertures for receiving the pales and the pales additionallybeing secured to the rails by fasteners.
 2. A palisade fence of claim 1,wherein the rails comprise an L-section having a front vertical arm anda rear horizontal arm, the horizontal arm being apertured to receive thepales while the vertical arm receives the fastener.
 3. A palisade fenceof claim 2, wherein a rear face of the vertical arm of the rail and afront face of the pale through which the fastener passes are directlyadjacent one another.
 4. A palisade fence of claim 1, wherein theapertures are of complementary shape to the pales.
 5. A palisade fenceof claim 4, wherein the apertures are of complementary shape to endportions of the pales and the ends of the pales extend through theapertures, the end portions of each pale being provided with aprojection spaced from an end of the pale such that only a selectedlength of each end portion passes through the associated aperture in therail.
 6. A palisade fence of claim 5, wherein the projection on eachpale end portion comprises a bead pressed from the pale.
 7. A palisadefence of claim 5, wherein the projection on each pale end portion is awelding bead.
 8. A palisade fence of claim 5, wherein the projection isprovided centrally of the pale.
 9. A palisade fence of claim 5, whereinthe projection is provided spaced from a centre line of the pale.
 10. Apalisade fence of claim 8, wherein at least one further projection isprovided spaced from a centre line of the pale.
 11. A palisade fence ofclaim 1, comprising three vertically spaced rails.
 12. A palisade fenceof claim 1, wherein the fastener is a bolt.
 13. A palisade fence ofclaim 2, wherein the fastener passes through the vertical arm of therail and through a central portion of the pale.
 14. A palisade fence ofclaim 11, wherein the bolt is secured by a nut which engages with a rearface of the pale.
 15. A palisade fence of claim 14, wherein the nut hasan outer portion for engagement with a tightening tool, and an innerportion of a shape which is not easily gripped by a conventional tool,the two portions being frangibly connected.
 16. A palisade fence ofclaim 14, wherein each pale has an angled section and the nut is locatedcentrally of the pale.
 17. A palisade fence comprising a plurality ofpales, each pale having a face for location directly adjacent a face ofa support rail and fasteners for securing the pales to the rail andpassing through the faces.
 18. A palisade fence of claim 17, wherein therails comprise an L-section having a front vertical arm and a rearhorizontal arm, the horizontal arm being apertured to receive the paleswhile the vertical arm receives the fastener.
 19. A palisade fence ofclaim 17, wherein the fastener is a bolt secured by a nut which engageswith a rear face of the pale.
 20. A palisade fence of claim 19, whereineach pale has an angled section and the nut is located centrally of thepale.
 21. A palisade fence of claim 2, wherein a surface of the verticalarm is recessed to receive a head of a fastener.
 22. A palisade fence ofclaim 2, wherein a surface of the vertical arm is configured to restrictaccess to a head of a fastener passing therethrough.
 23. A palisadefence comprising: support posts; rails for extending between the posts;and pales for mounting between the rails, the pales being adapted to besecured to the rails by fasteners having heads, an outer surface of oneof the pales and the rails being configured to restrict access to thefastener heads.